Attorneys of the Year 2013 honorees announced

Each year, Minnesota Lawyer recognizes the best achievements in the Minnesota legal profession with the Attorneys of the Year awards.

This year’s attorneys were chosen based on their leadership, involvement in major cases or other newsworthy events, excellence in corporate or transactional services and public service.

Among the honorees is the legal team that pursued a case credited with shedding light on the misuse of the state’s vehicle records database, a case that resulted in reform of the way state handles the data. An attorney- lobbyist and a law school professor who worked behind the scenes to make Minnesota the 12th state to recognize same sex marriage and two attorneys who earned their client the largest settlement ever paid in Hennepin County to an in custody inmate.

The nominations were submitted by judges, bar groups, clients and fellow attorneys. The honorees come from diverse practice groups including criminal law, litigation, public service, intellectual property and in-house legal departments.

This year there were also 10 repeat Attorneys of the Year. Four additional attorneys were recognized for a lifetime of dedication and commitment to the Minnesota legal community with the Outstanding Service to the Profession award, two others are being recognized posthumously.

The newspaper will host an awards program Feb. 20 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis to recognize this year’s honorees will publish a special section highlighting the honorees.

The 2013 Attorneys of the Year:

Larry Fett, Jon Strauss, Kenn Fukuda, Mark Zitzewitz and Sonia Miller-Van Oort, Sapientia Law Group

Jeanette Bazis, Marie Failinger, Mary Vasaly, and Lisa Brabbit, Infinity Project

Michael V. Ciresi, David Beehler, Katie Crosby Lehmann, Tom Hamlin, Mathew Korte, Melissa Goodman, Michael Reif, and William Bornstein, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi

William L. H. Lubov and Robert Bennett, Lubov & Associates/Gaskins Bennett Birrell Schupp

Patrick J. Ciliberto and Todd P. Zettler, Scott County Attorney’s Office

Michael O. Freeman and Michael Richardson, Hennepin County Attorney’s Office

David March and Timothy Baer, Target Corp.

Douglas R. Peterson, Wade Davis, Jennifer Ives, Andrew Davis, and Daniel Oberdorfer, Leonard, Street and Deinard

Nancy A. Haas and Dale Carpenter, MN United

Barbara Zurek, Meagher & Geer

Charles Spevacek, Meagher & Geer

Chris Madel, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi

Dana Bartocci, Minnesota Women Lawyers

Daniel E. Gustafson, Gustafson Gluek

David Bradley Olsen, Henson & Efron

Devan V. Padmanabhan, Winthrop & Weinstine

Jeff Anderson, Anderson and Associates

Jeffrey S. Storms and Robert Bennett, Gaskins Bennett Birrell Schupp

Katherine McBride; Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society

Kay Nord Hunt, Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg

Matthew Ralph, Dorsey & Whitney

Michael E. Florey, Fish & Richardson

Norman Baer, Anthony Ostlund Baer & Louwagie

Stephen R. Baird, Winthrop & Weinstine

Susan Segal, city of Minneapolis

Tony Palumbo, Anoka County Attorney

Mark Fiddler, Fiddler Law Office

Hal Shillingstad, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart

Byron Starns, Leonard, Street and Deinard

Jennifer Reedstrom Bishop, Gray Plant Mooty

Felicia J. Boyd, Barnes & Thornburg

Morgan Burns, Faegre Baker Daniels

Kim Schmid, Bowman and Brooke

Charles P. Moorse, Lindquist & Vennum

Mike Snyder, Meshbesher & Spence

David A. Davenport, Winthrop & Weinstine

In addition, the following are being recognized for Outstanding Service to the Profession:

John Stuart, Minnesota State Public Defender

Kenneth Tilsen, Attorney at Law (posthumous)

Judge Kathleen Gearin, Ramsey County District Court

Ron Meshbesher, Meshbesher & Spence

David Brink, American Bar Association

Justice Rosalie E. Wahl, Minnesota Supreme Court (posthumous)